Died On This Date (January 23, 1997) Richard Berry / Gave Us “Louie Louie”
themusicsover Richard Berry
April 11, 1935 – January 23, 1997
Richard Berry could rightfully be called a “one-hit wonder,” but oh, what a hit it was! After a few years working with a few different doo-wop acts, Berry sat down in 1955, and wrote “Louie Louie,” a song that would later be recorded by the Kingsmen and become synonymous with drunken frat parties. It was also a foundation upon which garage rock was built. The song has been recorded over 1000 times, but unfortunately, Berry sold away his rights to it in 1959. He was, however, able to collect a significant amount in royalties during the mid ’80s and again in the early ’90s. Berry’s health began to decline in later years, and on January 23, 1997, he died of heart failure at the age of 61.
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